Von der Leyen condemns violence as Georgia's parliament passes 'Russian law'
Critics fear it could be used to stifle the press and non-governmental organisations and derail the country’s chances of joining the European Union. Georgia has been a candidate country since December 2023.
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00:00 EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has condemned the police response to ongoing
00:07 protests in Georgia after parliament passed a controversial foreign influence transparency
00:13 law.
00:17 The bill, which was passed on its second reading, requires media and non-commercial organizations
00:23 to register as pursuing the interests of a foreign power if they receive more than 20
00:29 percent of their funding from abroad.
00:32 In a post on X, von der Leyen said she was following clashes between police and protesters
00:37 with great concern.
00:42 She said, "The Georgian people want a European future for their country. Georgia is at a
00:47 crossroads. It should stay the course on the road to Europe."
00:55 Critics fear the law could be used to stifle the press and derail the country's chances
00:59 of joining the European Union.
01:03 One poll puts support for membership among Georgia's population as high as 81 percent.
01:10 We want to be part of the EU, so that's why they need to be extremely authoritarian, totalitarian,
01:18 violent against the people. But it has its limits. You cannot rule the country which
01:22 is against you all the time.
01:26 Supporters of the bill, proposed by the ruling Georgian Dream Party, say it's necessary to
01:31 ensure transparency and national sovereignty.
01:36 President Salome Zubishvili has vowed to veto the bill, but the ruling party can override
01:41 that veto by collecting 76 votes.